Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), issued the following statement about the Senate’s vote to prevent a vote on a Defense Authorization bill containing a measure that would allow open homosexuals to serve in the United States military:

“We are gratified that enough Senators acted to prevent a lame-duck vote to effectively homosexualize the American military — a Democratic-led effort that is all about Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), President Obama and the Democrats pandering to their ‘gay’ activist base and NOT keeping our military strong, nor defending the best interests of our fighting men and women. We applaud Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (WV) for having the courage to listen to his West Virginia constituents — rather than kowtow to the morally-compromised Democrat Party leadership — in voting with the Republicans to block consideration of their bid to repeal the Armed Force’s common-sense homosexuality ban.

“The anti-Christian Human Rights Campaign, a homosexual lobby group, is now pushing for a separate, stand-alone Repeal bill in its desperate bid to homosexualize the U.S. military in this lame-duck session, before a more conservative Congress arrives in January. HRC in its elitism and arrogance shows its contempt for America’s voters, who rejected Obama’s radical legislative agenda. AFTAH will continue to educate citizens on this radical Repeal effort, which would turn the Pentagon into the world’s largest pro-“gay” advocacy organization. We are asking citizens to contact their Senators and urge them to oppose any attempt to overturn the military’s homosexuality ban.

“Americans For Truth commends the Center for Military Readiness, Family Research Council, Chaps Klingenschmitt, and all the pro-family groups that contributed to this legislative victory — even though they lacked significant help from some ‘big names’ in the conservative movement and conservative media. We must remain vigilant — because if Obama and Sen. Reid succeed in repealing the homosexuality ban, it will devastate our military, lead to an exodus of Christian- and tradition-minded servicemembers from the military, and serve as a catalyst for America’s continued moral decline.

‘Gay rights’ and religious freedom (defense of Judeo-Christian morality) cannot co-exist — as the persecution of Christians who oppose homosexuality in America and the world over clearly demonstrates — so we can only deduce that they will not be able to co-exist in a ‘homosexualized’ military. The military would bring in scores of pro-homosexual activists to effectively ‘re-educate’ the troops in pro-gay ‘tolerance and diversity’ — the very same LGBT activists that regularly demonstrate their anti-religious bigotry and animus by falsely equating the defense of biblical sexual morality with ‘hate’ and ‘homophobia.’ The introduction of pro-‘gay’ propaganda into the military would undermine morale and cohesion in the Armed Forces.

“Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have acted imperiously, as if the Repeal were inevitable. It is not. Commander-in-Chief Obama didn’t even have the decency and integrity to ask servicemembers IF the homosexuality-ban should be lifted — instead directing military leaders to design a plan for HOW the Repeal could be carried out. Why is it that our servicemembers are expected to die for their country — but not extended the courtesy of being asked their views on whether this critically important policy shift should go forward in a time of war?”